Harness



3 SheetsSheet Y 1.

(No Model.)

DE WA NE B. SMITH.

HARNESS.

Patented Jan. 6, 1891.

IATTORNE a,

(No Model.)

'3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

DE WANE B. SMITH; HARNESS.

Patented Jan. 6,1891.

ETEIIG can PHUTO LITHO:I WASHINGTON, n. c.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3. DE-WANE B. SMITH.

HARNESS. No. 444,401. Patented Jan. 6-, 1891.

WITNESSES: INVENITDR UNITED STATES PATENT 'FFICE.

DE IVANE B. SMITH, OF DEERFIELD, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES H. POOLE, OF UTIOA, NEW YORK.

HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,401, dated January 6, 1891.

Application filed February 28, 1890. Serial No. 342.129. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.- divisions of the cross or draw bar. Fig. 6 is Be it known that 1, DE WANE B. SMITH, of a longitudinal sectional View of the parts Deerfield, in the county of Oneida, in the State illustrated in Fig. 5, further illustrating the of New York, have invented new and useful operation of the device or catch for securing 5 Improvements in Harness, of which the foltogether the adjacent extremities of said draw lowing, taken in connection with the accomor cross bar. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a panying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact double whiffietree forming a part of my hardescription. ness. Fig. 8 is a perspective of the detached Myinvention relates to improved harness, outside trace of the harness, and Fig. 9 is a IO and has for its object the production of asimplan view of a modified form of the inner ple and effective device which is operatively traces. placed on the horse with far greater ease than A represents the draw or cross bar of my devices of this character heretofore produced, harness, composed of suitable material and is economically manufactured, and is durable bent in any desired form. As illustrated and 15 and effective in use and pleasing in appearas preferably constructed, however, this bar ance; and to this end the invention consists, is formed with a raised central portion a and essentially, in a draw or cross bar imposed depressed extremities connected to the outbeneath the horses and outer metallic traces side traces B. This draw or cross bar A is loosely connected to the opposite extremities preferably composed of separable halves or 20 of said bar and loosely connected at their divisions, whereby a team may be harnessed forward extremity to the hame or collar. singly, and these divisions are secured to- The invention also consists in securing a gether at theirinner extremities by a catch 0. strap to the said cross-bar between the same As best seen in Fig. 5, one of said divisionsis and the horse, in composing the said bar formed with a socket to, in which the oppo- '5 2 5 of separable halves, whereby a team may site extremity a is entered, and secured by be harnessed singly, single whiffletrees sethe catch 0, consisting of asliding rod 0, supcured to the separate extremities of the draw ported by a bracket a and having its lower or cross bar, inner traces connected to the end movable up and down in the slot to and adjacent extremities of said whiffletrees and automatically forced to operative position by 30 to the separate hames or collars, and a double a spring a interposed between a shoulder a whiftletree connected to the said single whiffleformed upon said pin and the adjacent face trees. of the bracket (1 The invention still furthermore consists in As presently described, the remaining parts the detail construction and arrangement of of my harness form independent harnesses, 5 the parts, all as hereinafter more particularly which may be separately placed upon a team described, and pointed out in the claims. either in their respective stalls or elsewhere, In describing this invention reference is whereupon they may be brought together, and had to the accompanying drawings, forming by simply pulling up the catch 0 and inserta part thereof, in which like letters indicate ing the end a? of one division of the draw or 0 40 corresponding parts in all the views. cross bar into the socket to of the opposite di- 'Figurel represents aperspectiveofateam of vision the separate halves of the harness are horses having my harness operatively placed connected together. This is a feature of great thereon. Fig. 2 represents a top plan view advantage, since in harnesses of this characof the detachedharness with the hames shown ter adapted for a team it is necessary to drive 5 5 partly in perspective for the purpose of illusthe team to the desired position, and then trating their connection to the traces of my Walk them over the ordinary cross-bar, and harness. Fig. 3 represents an edge View of if they are at all high-mettled they immedithe parts as illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is ately prance around and render it extremely an enlarged plan view of a detached half of difficult and frequently dangerous to opera- 50 the harness; Fig. 5, a perspective of the detively place said harnesses. Indeed, expetached adjacent extremities of the separable rience has demonstrated that frequently it is necessary to have two attendants to secure a harness of this kind to a good lively team. On the other hand, by a draw-bar composed of separable divisions, the separate harnesses may be assembled by a child upon the team singly at any desired timeas, for instance, when each is in its respective stalland then when brought together by the operation of the catch 0 the separate harnesses are sccured together, forming a double harness, thus eiIecting this desirable result without the slightest dilliculty or danger and more quickly and conveniently than hasheretofore been possible.

As seen in the drawings and as preferably constructed, the outer traces B are loosely connected at their forward extremities by interlocking links I) to the respective hames 1), and are formed with down\vardly-defiected rearward extremities B,pivoted or otherwise loosely connected at b to the opposite extremities of the draw or cross bar A. It will thus be seen that the outside traces l3 1 prevent the horses from swayingoutwardly, and by their loose connection to the draw orcross bar enable them to swing independently with the separate horses, whether they are keeping step or not. This is a feature of great advantage, since as a horse moves when under way, there is considerable sway to his shoulder, and the trace'thus compensates for this and transmits the pull to the draw or cross bar with aconnection which yields with every movement, and thereby prevents any waste of draft, as would result from a rigid connection. Moreover, it frequently happens that the horses do not keep step when pulling, and my improved harness is of especial value under the circumstances, since the position of one trace does not aifect in the slightest the position or operation of the other.

The harness is supported in position by a suitable saddle E, resting upon the horse, and connected by straps e, of suitable size and construction, to either the said trace or the draw or cross bar, as may be desired. As illustrated, one of these straps is shown as connected to an eye c supported by the trace B, and the other to an eye a, supported by the cross-bar A but it will be understood that the said strap might be continued directly around the horse and then connected to any suitably-placed eye or other support.

In order to prevent rubbing of the horse by the draw or cross bar A, which is preferably formed of metal, I place above said bar the lazy-strap F of suitable form, size, and construction and suitably supported upon the trace l3 and bar A, so that the horse rubs against said strap instead of the bar A, and thus entirely obviates the injury which would otherwise result.

. Suitably connected to the separate divisions of the cross or draw bar A are the single whifiletrees G, which are illustrated as pivoted at their outer extremities gto a link g, pivoted at g to the bar A. The inner ends of said single whiiiictrces are provided with suitable attaching-points g", to which are attached the inner traces ll, also preferably flexibly connected to the respective hames l).

Secured to the respective single whiffletrees G by links or other flexible connections i is the double whiffletree I, to which is connected a chain or other suitable drawing means, (not illustrated,) and adapted to be connected to a wagon or other article to be drawn.

\Vhen desired to separate the respective halves of my improved harness, as described, it is merely necessary to disengage one extremity of the double whiffietrec from its connectinglink, whereupon by means of the catch C the said harness is divided.

At Fig. 9 I have shown a modified form of inner trace composed of an endless rope or chain K, loosely connected to the separate hames and passed back of a pulley L in the block K in front of a pulley 7r, secured by a plate 7; to the bar A, and back of a pulley is", secured in the block, or aplatc K. The plate K is provided with a loop or other attaching means in", to which a chain or other suitable drawing device is attached.

The operation of my invention willbe readily perceived from the foregoing, and it will be understood that the rigid outside traces prevent outward swaying of the horse when backing, &c., allow of or com pcnsatc for every movement when traveling, that the draw or cross bar enables the team to be harnessed singly with great ease and convcniecc, that the peculiar construction of single and double whiiiletrees enables the harness to be composed of separable halves, and forms a simple and effective means of connecting the inner trace to the draw-bar and the said bar to the article to be drawn. It will be understood, however, that considerable change may be made in the relative construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof. Hence I do not limit myself to its precise form and construction.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the traces and saddles of a double harness, the herein-described rigid cross or draw bar connected to said traces and saddles and composed of separable divisions having their inner extremities ap proximated, and a movable catch for engaging said extremities and removably securing them together, whereby a team may be harnesscd singly. substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with the traces and sad dles of a double harness, the herein-described cross or draw bar connected to said traces and saddles and composed of separable divisions having their inner extremities approximated, and a spring-actuated sliding rod secured to one of said divisions and removably engagin g the other for removabl y securing together ICC said divisions, whereby a team may be harnessed singly, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with the traces and saddles of a double harness, the herein-described cross or draw bar connected to said traces and saddles and composed of separable divisions, a socket provided on one of said divisions and adapted to receive the end of the other division, and a catch for removably securing said parts together, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In combination with the traces and saddles of a double harness, a metallic cross or draw bar connected to said traces and saddles and adapted to be placed beneath the horse, and a strap above said metallic cross or draw bar adapted to be imposed between the horse and the said bar and having its opposite extremities secured to said cross-bar, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In combination with the traces and saddles of a double harness, a metallic cross or draw bar connected to said traces and saddles and composed of separable divisions having their inner extremities removably secured together, whereby a team may be harnessed singly, and a strap above said cross or draw bar adapted to be imposed between the horse and said bar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a harness, the combination, with the collars, of a double harness, metallic traces loosely connected at their forward extremities to said collars, a cross or draw bar loosely pivoted to the rearward extremities of said traces, and a saddle forsupportingsaidcrossbar, substantially as and for the purpose described.

'7. In a harness, the combination, with a collar, a cross-bar, and a saddle for supporting said cross-bar, of a metallic trace having its forward end connected to said collar and having its rearward end deflected below the plane of its forward end, and laterally-extending arm provided on said rearward end and connected to said cross-bar, substantially as specified.

8. In combination with the collars and saddles of a double harness, the combination of metallic traces loosely connected at their forward extremities to said collars, a cross or draw bar loosely connected to the opposite extremities of said traces and composed of separable divisions, and a catch for removably securing together said divisions, whereby a team may be harnessed singly, substantialiy as and for the purpose set forth. 9. The herein-described harness, composed of a pair of saddles and collars, a cross or draw bar connected to the saddles, outer metallic traces pivotally secured to said collars and cross-bar, single whiflletrees connected to said bar, and a double whiffletree connected to said single whiffletrees, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

10. The herein-described harness, composed of a pair of collars and saddles, a cross or draw bar connected to said saddles, outer metallic traces pivotally connected to said crossbar,'single whiffletrees, links connecting the said whiffletrees and cross-bar, and a double whiffletree connected to the said single whiffletrees, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. The herein-described harness, composed of a pair of collars and saddles, a cross or draw bar connected to said saddles and composed of separable divisions, and a catch for removably connecting said divisions, whereby a team may be harnessed singly, outer metallic traces pivotally connected to said collars and to said bar, single whiflietrees, links between the said whiffletrees and cross-bar, and a double whiftletree connected to the said single whiffletrees, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Utica, in the county of Oneida,

in the State of New York, this 21st day of January, 1800' DE W ANE B. SMITH. Witnesses:

THEODORE AVERY, WILLIAM WA'rsoN, Jr. 

